The 19th

Reproductive rights groups are planning to embrace a multipronged approach: challenging anti-abortion policies in court, organizing political protests, and lobbying state and national lawmakers to oppose proposed bans.

Matt Gaetz has withdrawn from consideration as attorney general. His withdrawal comes after calls for the House Ethics Committee to release an investigation reportedly detailing damning accusations against Gaetz.

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Every year, the pay gap between White men and different groups of women is captured in dollars and cents. But what if it was described in rent payments? Or grocery and child care bills? For Native American women, whose pay gap is recognized on November 21, the earnings they miss out on could help them cover many of their basic needs. Currently, Native women earn 58 cents for every $1 White, non-Latino men earn, meaning their pay gap is one of the largest, second only to Latinas. A new analysis by the National Women’s Law Center puts that into context: The gap amounts to $2,505 every month, or $30,055 annually — enough to cover 11 months of child care, nine months of food and seven months of rent on average. The disparities worsen when part-time workers are added, widening the gap to 52 cents. And they’re worse still for certain communities, such as Blackfoot women, who are paid just 48 cents to the $1. Over time, that gap shapes their lives. It makes it harder to save for a down payment for a house, cover the costs of higher education or save for retirement. The pay gap reflects the kinds of jobs women are in compared to men more than it reflects differences in pay between men and women in the same job. The figure is calculated by taking the average wage for all women and comparing it with the average wage for all men. Women of color are more likely to be working low-wage jobs, but the share of Native American women in the low-paid workforce is twice as big as the share of Native women who are in the workforce overall. Like other groups of women, Native American women are often in hospitality or retail jobs that offer little pay and few benefits. ??: Chabeli Carrazana, economy and child care reporter

Donald Trump is known for abandoning political and societal norms and expectations, but his wife is also often choosing to be unburdened by what has been the traditional role of the first lady. The latest from Errin Haines:

President Joe Biden has awarded Cecile Richards, the former president of Planned Parenthood and longtime reproductive rights advocate, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A commendation delivered after the private medal ceremony called Richards “a leader of utmost character” who “has carved an inspiring legacy.” “With absolute courage and conviction, Cecile Richards fearlessly leads us forward to be the America we say we are — a Nation of freedom,” the commendation said. “Carrying her parents’ torch for justice, she’s led some of our Nation’s most important civil rights causes — to lift up the dignity of workers, defend and advance women’s reproductive rights and equality, and mobilize Americans to exercise their power to vote.” Richards, the daughter of former Texas Gov. Ann Richards, cut her teeth in organizing and activism. She led Planned Parenthood from 2006 to 2018, establishing the organization as a force in Democratic politics and pushing the Democratic Party to embrace abortion rights as a top political issue. In January, Richards announced she’d been diagnosed with glioblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. Richards told The 19th in a recent interview that she cast her vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election — and that she sees a long road ahead for advocates for abortion rights. “In all honesty, I fear it will take us a long time to restore the rights we once had,” Richards wrote. “For people who face challenges based on race, geography, income and more, these inequities are deep-seated, intersectional and much more difficult to eradicate. We need to be ready for a multi-year fight.” ??: Grace Panetta, political reporter ??: Jared Siskin/Getty Images

Matt Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general, and resignation from the House, came days before the House Ethics Committee was set to vote on the public release of its report. Today the committee met but there was no agreement on releasing the report.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, announced Wednesday that transgender women would not be allowed to access women’s restrooms and facilities in the Capitol and House buildings. The ban comes a day after South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican who in 2021 stated that she supported transgender equality, introduced a bill proposing these restrictions.

These women were motivated by the same issues that were important to the overall electorate but were more likely to name priorities like caregiving, aging in place and preserving Social Security as decisive factors.

Wednesday marks the 25th International Transgender Day of Remembrance, a somber annual dedication held on November 20 to honor each year’s victims of anti-transgender violence worldwide. The day has been recognized by transgender people globally since the 1998 slaying of Black trans woman Rita Hester in her Boston apartment. Hester’s murder, which happened weeks after the anti-gay hate crime that took Matthew Shephard’s life, remains unsolved. The case has come to symbolize what many say is a lack of care for trans women of color, as Hester is among the most important queer figures whose murder remains unsolved. A year ago, Boston police announced they were reopening the investigation. Since 1998, at least 372 transgender people have been murdered globally, according to LGBTQ+ advocacy organization the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Of those, 36 victims lived in the United States. While trans advocates have aimed to expand the Day of Remembrance into a more upbeat “Week of Visibility,” this year’s remembrance falls on a particularly hard timeline for many trans people, who have been left reeling by the U.S. presidential election. Before winning reelection, President-elect Donald Trump vowed to put an end to so-called “transgender insanity” and bar gender-affirming health care for trans people on his first day in office. “The hate towards transgender and gender expansive community members is fueled by disinformation, rhetoric and ideology that treats our community as political pawns ignoring the fact that we deserve the opportunity to live our lives fully without fear of harm or death,” said Tori Cooper, HRC’s director of community engagement for the transgender justice initiative in a statement. ??: Kate Sosin ??: Kena Bentacur/AFP/Getty Images